Translation guide
How to express 'go to bed' in Japanese, from simply going to sleep to more formal or specific expressions.
The most common, everyday way to say you are going to bed or going to sleep.
The basic verb for 'sleep' or 'go to bed'. Used in casual and neutral contexts. Can mean both 'go to bed' and 'sleep'.
I'm going to bed now.
昨日は早く寝た。
I went to bed early yesterday.
A slightly more formal or literary expression meaning 'to go to bed' or 'to retire for the night'. Literally 'to take to one's bed'.
彼はもう床についた。
He has already gone to bed.
Formal, often used in announcements or written instructions. Means 'to go to bed' or 'to retire'.
消灯時間ですので、ご就寝ください。
Lights out, so please go to bed.
Emphasizing the action of getting into bed or lying down to sleep.
Literally 'enter the futon/bedding'. The most natural way to say you physically get into bed to sleep.
寒いから早く布団に入ろう。
It's cold, so let's get into bed early.
Same as above but specifically for a Western-style bed.
疲れたからもうベッドに入る。
I'm tired, so I'm going to bed now.
Talking about the time you go to bed.
Use 早く (early) or 遅く (late) with 寝る to specify when you go to bed.
明日早いから、今夜は早く寝ます。
I have an early start tomorrow, so I'll go to bed early tonight.
週末はいつも遅く寝る。
I always go to bed late on weekends.
Telling someone to go to bed.
A firm but standard way to tell a child or subordinate to go to bed. The imperative form of 寝る.
もう遅いから寝なさい。
It's late, so go to bed.
Casual request. Used among family or close friends.
疲れてるでしょ？早く寝て。
You're tired, right? Go to bed early.
Polite or formal expressions for going to bed, often used in service contexts or with superiors.
Very polite way to say 'I will go to bed/rest'. Literally 'I will humbly receive the favor of resting'. Used when excusing oneself for the night in formal settings.
お先に休ませていただきます。
I'll go to bed before you (if you'll excuse me).
Honorific expression for when someone else goes to bed. Used to show respect.
社長はもうお休みになりました。
The company president has already gone to bed.
寝る (neru) means 'go to bed' or 'lie down to sleep', while 眠る (nemuru) means 'to sleep' (the state of sleeping). You can 寝る without 眠る (e.g., lying in bed awake), but in many contexts 寝る is used for the whole process of going to bed and sleeping.
ベッドに入ったけど、なかなか眠れなかった。
I went to bed, but I couldn't fall asleep for a while.
寝る is the everyday word. 床につく is slightly literary/formal and emphasizes the act of retiring. 就寝する is very formal and often used in institutional settings (e.g., hospitals, dorms).
普段何時に寝ますか？
What time do you usually go to bed?
夜10時に寝ました。
I went to bed at 10 p.m.
子供たちはもう寝ました。
The children have already gone to bed.
The standard 'good night', which implies 'go to bed' when said to someone.
もう遅いから、お休みなさい。
It's late, so good night (go to bed).